Rail-chair.



N0. 852,449. 'PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. J. PARKER.

RAIL CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21,1906.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 1m: NORRIS PETIR :4 WASHINGTON, u.

- UNITED srarns earner errron.

JOHN PARKER, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-EIG-I-ITH TO EDWARD E. BILLINGS, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed December 21 1906. Serial No. 348,924.

To all w/mm it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN PAR-KER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful lmprovenlents in Rail-Chairs and I do here by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to rail chairs adapt ed to receive the adjacent ends of two opposing rails, one object being to provide a simple, cheap and effective chair by means of which the ends of the rails are securely held in place and thoroughly braced to prevent spreading.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which will prevent the depression of the adjoining ends of the rails at the joint.

A further object is the provision of a rail chair consisting of few parts, which parts are interchangeable in that the loss of one por .tion of the device will not prevent the use of the remaining portion of the device with a substitute for the lost portion.

, Another object of my invention is the provision of a rail chair from which the rail may be removed either length-wise thereof or transversely therefrom.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a rail chair, the component parts of which need not be machined, thus economizing in time, labor and expense.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means which will prevent the rails from creeping to any great extent.

To these and other ends, therefore, my invention consists in certain novel features and combinations, such as will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view illustrating my invention; Fig. 2

is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the key.

(A) and (B) indicate the abutting ends of a pair of rails arranged in alinement with each other and (C) indicates a base or chair-plate chambered out to receive the rails in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the chair-plate being of a length, preferably, approximately equal to the width of a tie (not shown), the cha1n-- of the rail, the wall (2) engaging the web of the rail and iilling the space be tween the upper and lower flanges of such rail.

The opposite wall (3) of the chair-plate is, preferably, vertical and parallel with the web of the rail (A), the wall (3) being spaced apart from the web of the rail.

A key (4) is provided, the key comprising a parallel sided member, one face of which is adapted to fit closely against the inner side of the webs of the rails, the opposite face of the key adapted to abut against the inner wall (3) of the rail chair. The key (4) consists of a single integral member, its inner face (5) corresponding exactly to the vertical wall (3) of the rail chair.

The key (4) is made longer than the rail chair (0) and extends beyond the opposite ends thereof, the projecting ends of the key being apertured, the apertures adapted to register with apertures extending transversely through the webs of the rails and adapted to receive the bolts (6) whereby the key is firmly secured to the opposing rails (A) and (B) and serves as a bond to connect the same.

It will be seen that my joint connection consists of but two pieces, the chair and the key.

It will further be observed that the key, by reason of its parallel sides, is insertible from either end of the rail chair, the key filling the space between the inner faces of the webs of the rails and the vertical inner wall (3) of the chair. Should a chair or a key become lost, any other chair or key may be substituted therefor without loss of time. The fastening means connecting the key to the adjoining rails will engage one end or the other of the rail chair to prevent the rails from creeping to any great extent while yet allowing for the necessary expansion or contraction thereof.

In assembling the device the chair is secured to a tie, (not shown) after which the rails are placed in the chair either from opposite ends thereof or else vertically and laterally down through the top of the chambered portion, after which the key is forced into a the webs of the rails, the opposite parallel place lengthwise of the chair until the apertures in the key register with the apertures in the adjoining ends of the rails, whereupon the bolts or other fastening means are inserted through the apertures and secured therein in any suitable manner.

To disassemble the device, all that is necessary is to remove the bolts and knock out the key by an end-wise blow, after which the rails may be moved laterally inward and then upward out of the chambered portion of the chair.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new is l. A oint connection for rails comprising a chambered rail chair adapted to receive the abutting ends of two alined rails, the inner wall of the chair being parallel with the webs of the rails, a parallel sided key, one face of which is adapted to engage the inner faces of face of the key adapted to engage the inner wall of the rail chair, the key being longer than the rail chair and provided with apertures at its opposite projecting ends adapted to register with apertures in the webs of the adjoining rails, and fastening means received in the alined apertures, the key serving to connect adjoining rails.

2. The combination with arail chair suit ably chambered out to receive the abutting ends of two alined rails, the webs of the rails being apertured, of a single parallel sided key interposed between the inner faces of the webs of the rails and the inner wall of the rail chair, the ends of the key projecting beyond the opposite ends of the rail chair and being apertured in alinement with the apertures in the webs of the rails, and fastening means passing through the alined apertures to cause the key to serve for connecting the adjoining rails.

3. A joint connection for rails comprising a rail chair suitably chambered to'receive the abutting ends of two rails, a single key, the sides of which are parallel, the key interposed between the inner faces of the webs of the rails and the inner parallel wall of the rail chair, the ends of the key projecting beyond the opposite ends of the rail chair and overlapping the adjacent ends of the rails, and means for securing the projecting ends of the key to the respective rails.

In testimony whereof, I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses:

' JOHN PARKER.

Witnesses:

DAYTON McINNrs, E. S. GILMORE. 

